It is often necessary to induce patients to expand and use their lungs and respiratory musculature. Post-surgical, bedridden, inactive, obese and geriatric patients do not utilize their respiratory systems fully. Pain, illness and feebleness inhibit use. As a consequence, these people are prone to pulmonary complications such as lung congestion, atelectasis and pneumonia. The inefficient use of the respiratory system also can retard healing and cause muscle atrophy.
Thus, a need exists to provide patients with an incentive which encourages use of their respiratory systems. In general, presently available apparatus for inducing said use by inhalation is relatively expensive and awkward to handle. Further, the apparatus is comparatively costly and complex, and is generally limited to hospital use because of the complexities and costs. In addition, presently available apparatus is made up of a multiplicity of parts which, when dropped, are susceptible to breakage and which are costly to replace.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved device which induces progressive respiratory exercises through inhalation without drawbacks of presently available devices and systems.
Among the other objects of this invention is to provide an inhalation device which is safe to use; to provide an inhalation device, the successful use of which easily can be seen and measured by the patient, nurse or others; to provide an inhalation device which provides a progressive incentive and encourages use by ease of handling and operation; and to provide an inhalation device which accomplishes the foregoing while being relatively inexpensive.
Additional objects and advantages will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom or may be learned with the practice of the invention, the same being realized and obtained by means of the respiratory stimulator recited in the appended claims.